Experimental results of core-concrete interactions using molten steel with zirconium

Technical Report · Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6738150· OSTI ID:6738150

Copus, E R; Blose, R E; Brockmann, J E; Gomez, R D; Lucero, D A ^[1]

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1. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)

Four inductively sustained experiments, QT-D, QT-E, SURC-3, and SURC-3A, were performed in order to investigate the additional effects of zirconium metal oxidation on core debris-concrete interactions using molten stainless steel as the core debris simulant. The QT-D experiment ablated 18 cm of concrete axially during 50 minutes of interaction on limestone-common sand concrete using a 10 kg charge of 304 stainless steel to which 2 kg of zirconium metal was added subsequent to the onset of erosion. The QT-E experiment ablated 10 cm of limestone-common sand concrete axially and 10 cm radially during 35 minutes of sustained interaction using 50 kg of stainless steel and 10 kg of zirconium. The SURC-3 experiment had a 45 kg charge of stainless steel to which 1.1 kg of zirconium was subsequently added. SURC-3 axially eroded 33 cm of limestone concrete during two hours of interaction. The fourth experiment, SURC-3A, eroded 25 cm of limestone concrete axially and 9 cm radially during 90 minutes of sustained interaction. It utilized 40 kg of stainless steel and 2.2 kg of added zirconium as the charge material. All four experiments showed in a large increase in erosion rate, gas production, and aerosol release following the addition of Zr metal to the melt. In the SURC-3 and SURC-3A tests the measured erosion rates increased from 14 cm/hr to 27 cm/hr, gas release increased from 50 slpm to 100 slpm, and aerosol release increased from .02 q/sec to .04 q/sec. The effluent gas was composed of 80% CO, 10% CO{sub 2}, and 2% H{sub 2} before Zr addition and 92% CO, 4% CO{sub 2}, 4% H{sub 2} during the Zr interactions which lasted 10--20 minutes. Addition measurements indicated that the melt pool temperature ranged from 1600{degree}C--1800{degree} and that the aerosols produced were comprised primarily of Te and Fe oxides. 21 refs., 120 figs., 51 tabs.

• Research Organization: Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (USA). Div. of Systems Research; Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: NRC
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6738150
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CR-4794; SAND--86-2638; ON: TI90015004
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
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ACCIDENTS
AEROSOLS
ALLOYS
AUSTENITIC STEELS
BUILDING MATERIALS
C CODES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CHROMIUM-NICKEL STEELS
COLLOIDS
COMPUTER CODES
CONCRETES
CORIUM
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
DATA
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY TRANSFER
EROSION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUID MECHANICS
HEAT RESISTANT MATERIALS
HEAT RESISTING ALLOYS
HEAT TRANSFER
HIGH ALLOY STEELS
HYDRAULICS
INFORMATION
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON OXIDES
MATERIALS
MECHANICS
METALS
NICKEL ALLOYS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR SAFETY
SAFETY
SOLS
STAINLESS STEEL-304
STAINLESS STEELS
STEEL-CR19NI10
STEELS
TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS
TELLURIUM OXIDES
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
TEST FACILITIES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
ZIRCONIUM